Rifle improvements over the years have increased the effectiveness of hunters and infantry soldiers alike. The buttstock of the rifle has also been subject to improvements. However, while new buttstock designs have resulted in greater functionality, new designs have not necessarily decreased cost or simplified manufacturing or reduced the weight of the rifle.
For example, the buttstock for the M-16, which has undergone over thirty years of improvements, currently comprises fourteen separate parts that must be manufactured to tolerances and assembled. Moreover, taking into account the vast distances over which the rifles must be carried, the weight of the buttstock is not off limits as a candidate for reduction of weight.
Adding to the complexity, various attachments have been developed that increase the functionality of the buttstock by allowing the rifle to be carried in both a horizontal "ready" position and conventional carrying position. For purposes of discussion, the term "conventional carrying position" refers to a rifle carrying position where the rifle is placed over the carrier's shoulder in a more or less vertical position; in contrast, the term "horizontal ready" position refers to a rifle carrying position where the rifle is oriented in a horizontal direction.
Thus, there exists a need for a simply designed buttstock that reduces the total number of parts, overall weight but preserves the functionality of the stock.